Attention airbrushers...Asking advice.

Hi Junior, The HP series is a great gun for automotive use but it's probably not the best for t-shirt work. I believe in using the right tool for the job. To me, it's better to start with t-shirt guns (usually cheaper) and work your way up to something like the HP guns when you're ready for metal surfaces. That's just my thoughts. Seems too many people jump in hog-wild and and lose interest after they see how challenging the learning curve can be. The airbrushes get clogged, quit spraying right, and they throw it in a box to collect dust. Just stick with it--lots of practice. Kinda' like learning to play the guitar or something. Oh, and if you can attend some of the get-aways or Dru blair's school, you'll fast forward your progress.   If you do go with the HP, be sure to thin the paint properly for t-shirts. I second the kustomkulture lounge advice. Lots of guys willing to share their knowledge. Years ago it was nearly impossible to get an airbrusher to tell you anything. Today you've got experts at your fingertips ready to tell you whatever you need to know. Even on-line step-by-step videos on you-tube and such. It's hella fun once you start getting the hang of it! So just get started and practice, practice, practice.

Thats a good point sean, I might just use a hood i have laying around to practice on. I never thought about the viscosities of the paints being different,but you're right. I have got my gun already, i have to get a hose for it now. Probally do that today. I have been working on a piece that i am gonna use to start on. Its a nice looking demoinic skull. I guess its better to challenge myself than to just settle for shading with it. I agree also with what youre saying sean, about people giving up, I never understood that why spend that much money on a gun if youre not going to put the time and effort into using it correctly? Itsomething that has alway interested me andjust to hold the gun makes me feel in power...!! LOL but thanks guys give me a couple of day and i will throw a pic up on here of my first attempt, good or bad either way.

Ok guys now before you look at this picture i wanna remind you this is the first time i have every had the chance to actually practice, Its freezing cold here in Ga, and i have never drawn a skull before. So i know the proportions are wrong. Ok enough with the excuses, I started this skull as a totally different design, changed it up just for convienance. I did just black at first and then i started experimenting, threw some white in there and feel as though i messed it up but oh well its just practice....        

Looks good to me for your first attempt bro. Keep up the practice.

Heres some pics after i screwed it up.        

Hell yeah bro, not bad for your first time!   Keep practicing, and definitely keep up the good work

Another trick I used when I first started out was draw with watercolor pencils for my layout and then airbrush over that. worked great for getting comfortable freehanding. I worked at a production airbrush shop doing racing team helmets where there would be 30 helmets with the same design for all the pit crew, drivers, sponsors etc. and we used that method religiously for getting shit done quicker.

I didnt even think about drawing it on there with something. I have seen it done, just started and forgot all about it. I can draw my ass off, but airbrushing is a learning proces. I am getting more excited about doing it day by day. I am going to go over this piece with some white just to give me a blank slate to start with again. Next time will be better and more reduced, with a little bit more pressure.

Second try!! Getting a little better my computer crashed so i couldntget on to post but im back up now here are some more playing around to learn pictures.                    

Edited: 2/11/2009 10:11:05 AM by seanb

Looking good Junior. It's a lot of fun learning the tool. I recommend you start doing practice strokes if you want to see more improvement. Try putting tiny dots about 1 to 2 inches apart on a board both verticle and horizontal...like a grid pattern. Then using your airbrush, simply draw a thin line to connect the dots. Do this over and over. Then practice starting with a wide stroke that you taper to a point--most people call this a dagger stroke. Practice this a lot too. Then practice just doing circles anywhere from an inch to 4 or 5 inches in diameter. Do them as perfectly as you can. Learn to walk before you start trying to run. Good luck.